China has topped the aluminium production for the past few years. An aluminium production cap to curtail overcapacity and emissions, a cumulative tariff of 145 per cent on Chinese aluminium articles entering the US imposed phase by phase, or bauxite import restrictions from multiple prime destinations have hit China’s ambitious industrial boom several times. However, the free flow of trade expansion is far from being curbed.
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Of the total trade of aluminium worldwide in 2024, which was 13.68 million tonnes valued at USD 39.46 billion, 51.46 per cent was occupied for export of plates, sheets and strip exports, accounting for over 7 million tonnes. Meanwhile, foil exports contributed 23.41 per cent (3.2 million tonnes) to the total export number. Bars and rods were next at 16.31 per cent of outbound trade, with an export quantity of 2.2 million tonnes. The rest of the exports were 745 thousand tonnes of unwrought (5.11 per cent), 295 thousand tonnes of pipes and tubes, 88 thousand tonnes of wire and 77 thousand tonnes of tube or pipe fittings.
According to International Trade Administration published data, among the 224 listed countries that have imported aluminium in one form or the other from China during CY 2024, Mexico tops the list, importing various aluminium products in a whopping quantity of over 662 thousand tonnes (value USD 2.21 billion) during the stipulated time period, followed by South Korea, who imported 509 thousand tonnes (value USD 1.78 billion) of aluminium from China.
If we are to list the top 10 importers of Chinese aluminium products, as per the International Trade Administration, four nations — Vietnam, 27 member nations of the European Union, Thailand and India — will come next, importing 413.18 thousand tonnes, 367.47 thousand tonnes, 359.48 thousand tonnes and 356.9 thousand tonnes, respectively, from the country.
Ranking at number 7 comes the country that has stirred the global trade scenario in the past few months due to its tariff imposition trait. The United States imported USD 926 million worth of aluminium from China in 2024 (before Trump 2.0 happened), amounting to 258.72 thousand tonnes. However, in these stances, scrap exports from China have not been taken into account. When including scrap in the scenario, the United States ranks first in imports from China, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. The Trump-presided nation is known to be the leading consumer of aluminium scrap and imports USD 4.23 billion worth of cumulative aluminium articles (4 times the amount when calculated excluding scrap).
Next in order are Japan, Canada, and Indonesia, which imported 255.86 thousand tonnes, 252.89 thousand tonnes, and 251.09 thousand tonnes of various aluminium articles from China in 2024.
Despite mounting global resistance to its surging shipments of low-cost goods, China has pledged to increase support for exporting companies. Beijing’s new policies aim to sustain its export boom, which is on track to reach record levels, even as trading partners accuse it of undercutting local industries and distorting global markets.
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